Winston Churchill dispatched 1,700 troops to the Falkland Islands in 1942 out of concern that the Japanese were planning to invade the territory and interfere with critical sea routes in the South Atlantic. In support of this plan Tokyo allegedly was prepared to hand control of the Falklands to Argentina, according to a piece in the Daily Telegraph, credited to Julian Ryall, from the Japanese capital.
“With substantial losses at both the Battle of Coronel and the Battle of the Falklands, the annual remembrance events are an opportunity to reflect on the lives lost from both the British and German navies. It was decided early on that this commemorative approach, highlighting the tragic loss of life during both battles, should be echoed throughout events on this Centenary year”
The first two significant naval battles of the First World War were commemorated in London and the Falklands in parallel church services on the 8th December – a hundred years after these momentous events took place.
By Harold Briley (*) Early in World War One the Royal Navy suffered one of its most disastrous defeats followed five weeks later by one of its most decisive victories. In the Battle of the Falkland Islands on 8 December, 1914, all five battle cruisers of the German East Asian Squadron and its support ships were defeated with nearly 2,000 men killed including their commander, Vice Admiral Graf von Spee. No British ships were lost and only eight British sailors were killed.
Gilbert House, seat of the Falkland Islands elected government has released the program arranged for Monday 8th December 2014 to commemorate the victory of the Naval engagements of 8th December 1914, on which day 6 British sailors lost their lives and a number of others died later from injuries received during the battle. 2,260 German sailors also lost their lives.
Chilean foreign minister Jorge Burgos revealed this week that the presence of HMS Dragon in Valparaiso was authorized after having consulted with Argentina, and underlined that Chile strictly abides with what was agreed regarding the passage of British vessels through Chilean waters.
Interactive information technology providing details of how seamen lost their lives defending the Falkland Islands during the First World War will be unveiled at Stanley Cemetery in the capital on Monday 8 December.
The Foreign Office did not incur any costs in providing assistance to the BBC Top Gear team which was recently in an Argentine tour and was forced to leave the country under protection, following alleged disrespectful references to the 1982 Falklands war by the team.
Falklands have prepared a week's agenda of activities on the centenary commemoration of the Falkland Islands naval battle and the Islands contribution to the Great War, which will extend from this Friday until 12 December.
Four senior oil industry business and training executives are in the Falkland Islands promoting Trinidad and Tobago’s oil industry training services. Preparing staff for the oil industry is crucial if benefits are to be injected to the local economy in the form of jobs and knowhow.